


by the throat

by aelescribe



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, honestly i dont know what this is, pearl needs to get her priorities straight, they go a long way back, they have a really fucked up relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 14:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4526112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelescribe/pseuds/aelescribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each time Pearl tries to regain some sense of control, tries to break away, Jasper pulls her right back in. She’s intoxicating and warm and, worst of all, she smells like home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	by the throat

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this pic](http://therebemorefoolery.tumblr.com/post/125298742327/how-pathetically-outdated); takes place shortly after "The Return".
> 
> Basically Jasper and Pearl both have lots of feelings. They hate each other, are both slightly jealous, and they also love kissing. It's complicated.

Pearl is separated from her friends immediately. Steven is taken somewhere else. Lapis is forced away. Jasper takes Ruby and Peridot takes Sapphire. She has no idea where Amethyst is. She wants to know, needs to know where they are. But she can’t fight. She will never forgive herself if her comrades were hurt on her disobedience. She swallows her pride and allows herself to be taken.

Jasper stops at an open cell and tosses Ruby’s gem inside. Pearl winces. The soldier activates some sort of energy field through a panel beside the prison, trapping her comrade in the cell, and continues down the hall.

She stares at the commander’s back as she’s forced along. She’s fought Jasper more times than she cares to count. So many times Pearl threw herself at the soldier. No matter how often she got crushed, she kept coming back, fighting harder and harder, getting tougher and tougher.

Jasper stops in front of another empty cell and Pearl realizes it’s for her. She has to think fast. She has to distract Jasper, somehow. Get her to talk. Find out any information she can on their uncertain future, no matter how little.

“I demand that you return myself and my comrades to Earth this instant,” Pearl says. “Earth is not a Gem-controlled planet, therefore it does not follow under your domain, and neither do its subjects. If you choose to continue to commit these aggressive acts, then-”

“Won’t you shut up?” Jasper cuts through her argument, startling her into silence. She gives Pearl a shove, forcing her into an empty cell. “I’ll take your official surrender from Rose once she gives up this useless charade.”

“ _Steven_ is not well versed in the rules and conduct of invasion. However, I am. As such, I am willing to negotiate our safe return in his stead.” Pearl maintains her posture, level with the warrior, eyes narrowed with determination. The least she can do is stall for some way out of this.

“Rose is Rose,” Jasper insists. “Changing her form won’t protect her from the Diamond Authority. And your blabbering won’t, either.”

Pearl sighs with exasperation. “For the last time, Rose isn’t-”

“You’ll only speak when spoken to!” Jasper yells harshly.

Everything in Pearl’s body seizes and she clenches her jaw, hard, trying to fight instinct. She struggles to form a single word past the command. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and forces herself to talk despite agony. “I’ll do nothing of the sort.”

Jasper’s eyes widen a fraction in surprise. Pearl clenches her fists, holds her ground. It took a long time to unlearn the urge to follower everyone’s orders, and it still struck her sometimes. Still, she won’t let herself slip back into that mindset. Especially not because of Jasper.

Jasper saunters over with a predatory glare. She towers over Pearl with her teeth bared in anger. “You will obey,” Jasper orders in a low voice. Pearl all but melts, shuddering at the tone. Jasper’s words have her in a vice grip. “Be silent.”

Pearl grits her teeth and lowers her gaze. It’s easier when she’s not looking at her. “No.”

Jasper’s scowl melts into a leering simper. “What a cute, defiant little thing you are. Since you’re so insistent on talking, won’t you tell why the only survivors of Rose’s great army consist of three weak, spineless little Gems? And even worse, you…” She leans down to meet her eyes. “A defective Pearl.” A large hand cups her face with deceptive gentleness, forcing their eyes to lock. Claws scratch through her hair, resting sharp against her tender scalp. “You’re about as reliable as you are independent. How pathetically outdated.”

Pearl feels a burning in her chest and it’s all she can do not to break away from those captivating, golden eyes. Ignoring the jab but refusing to back down, she decides to humor Jasper by mustering a reply. “Rose saved as many as she could. I was lucky enough to be one of those Gems.”

“Of course,” she murmurs, licking her lips slowly. “She has a penchant for pitiful toys like you.”

“I’m not a toy,” Pearl bites out.

“Aren’t you?” Jasper slides her other hand down to Pearl’s waist, gripping hard enough to bruise. She holds Pearl in an almost coveting manner. “I’ve broken you so many times, only for her to put you back together, just so she can keep playing with you.”

Pearl’s eyes drift downward, her brow creased in doubt. Jasper’s messing with her. She’s trying to get in her head. “I can only imagine what you would do to take my place.”

Her smirk fades. Her touch turns harsh and Pearl squirms as a sharp nail cuts along the taut line of her mouth. The fire in her chest slowly transforms from anger to something much warmer. They’re stuck in that tense silence for several long moments when Jasper finally speaks.

“You'd better keep your mouth shut before you say something you regret."

Pearl thinks of a blade slicing through her skin. Thinks of these clawed hands holding her so long ago. Thinks of the way they lost themselves together. So, for old times sake, and because she refuses to follow orders, Pearl says, "Why don't you make me?"

Sharp teeth wear away at her lower lip, marking both their mouths with silver droplets of blood. Jasper grabs and gropes Pearl shamelessly, making her sigh. Her hands pull at Jasper’s uniform, scraping the red lines on her skin. Each time Pearl tries to regain some sense of control, tries to break away, Jasper pulls her right back in. She’s intoxicating and warm and, worst of all, she smells like home.

Jasper dips to suck along Pearl’s jaw and plant kisses across her neck, lewd smacks echoing off the cell walls. Pearl takes a sharp breath and yanks a fistful of hair, thrusting her body flush against Jasper’s. Her scent reminds Pearl of the Diamond Castle and greasy hands working with broken spacecrafts and sharp steel clashing on the battlefield of a place she once held dear.

In Jasper’s clutches, she feels her strength wane and her desire to serve take over. It would be so easy for the warrior to crush her; lay a hand on her forehead and compress her gem into dust. She always gets this feeling when they're so close. And she loves it.

Pearl takes Jasper’s head in her hands, pulling teeth from her discolored throat, and kisses her. Jasper plunges her tongue into Pearl’s mouth and they slide their lips together, over and over, almost lazily brushing their tongues against each other. As if they have all the time in the world. As if Pearl doesn’t know that she and her friends are going to be punished for their crimes and executed for treason. As if they’re thousands of years in the past again, sharing a moment between battles under cover of night, drowning their grief in each other.

“You’re sick,” Pearl notes inbetween gasps.

Jasper smirks against her skin. “We both are.”


End file.
